Blogs
Giacomo Puccini ‘Un bel dì vedremo’: A Hopeful Romantic
Giacomo Puccini: Un bel dì vedremo Context Giacomo Puccini composed music for the opera Madama Butterfly between 1903-04. The libretto was by Luigi Illica and Read more…
Blogs
Louise Farrenc ‘Nonet in Eb Major’: Nine is the Magic Number
Louise Farrenc: Nonet in Eb Major Context Born in May 1804, French composer, pedagogue and concert pianist Louise Farrenc enjoyed a fruitful reputation during her Read more…
Blogs
Jean Sibelius ‘Finlandia’: A Heroic Union
Jean Sibelius: Finlandia Context During 1899 the political intensity in the Grand Duchy of Finland was becoming more serious. Opposition was met from Russian press, Read more…
Blogs
Joseph Haydn ‘Piano Trio No.39 ‘Gypsy Rondo’: Tantalising Trio
Joseph Haydn: Piano Trio No.39 ‘Gypsy Rondo’ Context Composed in 1795, Joseph Haydn’s ‘Gypsy’ piano trio has remained one of his most popular chamber works. Read more…
Blogs
Georg Philipp Telemann: ‘Wassermusik Suite’: Nautical Deities
Georg Philipp Telemann: Wassermusik Suite Context Georg Philipp Telemann composed his Wassermusik suite (full title Hamburger Ebb’ und Fluth) c. 1722 to celebrate the centennial Read more…
Blogs
Leonard Bernstein ‘Wonderful Town Overture’: The Big Apple
Leonard Bernstein: Wonderful Town Overture Context With lyrics by Comden and Green, Leonard Bernstein was asked to compose the music for the 1953 musical Wonderful Read more…
Blogs
Edvard Grieg ‘Holberg Suite’: Time to Dance!
Edvard Grieg: Holberg Suite Context Composed in 1884 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Dano-Norwegian playwright Ludvig Holberg, Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Read more…
Blogs
Robert Nathaniel Dett ‘The Chariot Jubilee’: Scripture and Folklore
Robert Nathaniel Dett: The Chariot Jubilee Context Robert Nathaniel Dett composed The Chariot Jubilee in 1919 after a commission came from Howard Lyman and the Read more…
Blogs
Malcolm Arnold ‘Fantasy for Trumpet’: A Virtuosic Opening!
Malcolm Arnold: Fantasy for Trumpet Context Malcolm Arnold was born in Northampton, England in October 1921. He took up playing the trumpet at age 12, Read more…
Blogs
Samuel Barber ‘Adagio for Strings’: Diving into an Emotional Abyss
Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings Context Adagio for Strings (1936), was originally the second movement of Samuel Barber’s String Quartet in B minor (Op.11). However, at the end of Read more…